Rant and Rave

The speed wars are definitely heating up out there (i.e., "Speedy" Lee
and "Idonwannadie" Mark). Both these guys are a little extreme, and
both got a few points right. Most of the problems arise from speed
differential, inattention (from fast OR slow drivers!), and just plain
lack of skill/training. Lee's right in the fact that even a basic Honda
can outperform, safely, pure racing cars from a few years back.

Unfortunately, Mark's right in that a frighteningly large number of
drivers are using these vehicles' higher limits WITHOUT understanding
the physics of going faster, or spending any time increasing THEIR
limits or abilities.

Lee states that it is a right to drive fast. Along with any right comes
responsibility. Lee's attitude shows a lack of responsibility toward
high-speed driving. What training have you had? Or are you relying on
"natural ability"? (By the way, I know many racers that were fast right
from the start, and racers that have honed their skills for years
without rising above mediocrity.)

Mark, there are a lot of drivers out there who are safer driving fast
than you are sitting in your driveway. If YOU find YOURself in an
emergency situation AT THE SPEED LIMIT OR BELOW, you will find your self
in as bad a predicament as those speeders you despise. You need proper
training to drive safely, regardless of the speed you choose to travel
at.

And Mark, don't buy into state-provided statistics. The state of
Washington provided a brochure on the dangers of speed when they raised
speed limits. In that brochure was printed stopping distances for the
average car from 55 and 65 mph. It listed the distance needed to stop
from 65 mph as 900 yds. WHAT?? The only way to stop from 65 in 900
yds. is to jump out and let the car roll to a stop on it's own!! The
average sedan now does it in less than 160 ft., and many sports cars
stop in less than 120 ft. from 65 mph. Yet all other scare propoganda
in the brochure is based on this outdated data. On the back, credit for
the information is given as an NHTSA study from 1956. 1956!!!!

As it turns out, all other speed-related data the government gives out
is easily checked and is, not surprisingly, just as suspect. And yet
Lee's despised "speed nazis" go on believing. In accident reporting,
"speed-related" is used as a catchall, and when it is brought up to
scare citizens, it shows up in 34 percent of all fatal crashes.

BUT, if you remove "speed-related," that ALSO includes alcohol/drugs,
bad weather (even low speeds can be entered here), and the best
one--"speed too low" (a real beauty, that--using slow drivers to make
fast drivers look bad!), the amount left ends up being less than 5
percent!

Now, the problem with using these stats is that no matter how you look
at them, they only prove a negative number. There are no stats on
"successful speed." Even if the 34 percent figure is taken at face
value, that percentage of fatals could still be only 1 percent of fast
drivers. There's no way of measuring. It would be sad to paint a
picture of fast drivers using only 1 percent of the total information,
now wouldn't it?